


First Order Fostering

by Fauxtalian



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Brief Mentions of Animal Abuse, Hux interacts with social media, Hux is a Mansplainer, Hux likes cats more than people, Hux takes great care of his fosters but poor care for himself, M/M, Rae is a good mentor, brief mentions of emotional and psychological abuse, everyone is a hipster, mitaka is trans, nobody has their life together, normal burn romance, the cute side of kitten rescue, the gross side of kitten rescue, veganism, very skippable
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-20
Updated: 2018-11-20
Packaged: 2019-08-26 15:53:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16684582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fauxtalian/pseuds/Fauxtalian
Summary: Armitage Hux needed to be the change he wanted to see in the world. He accomplished this by fostering newborn kittens and running a YouTube channel dedicated to educating people about rescue work. On his own since he was a young man, Hux had always been a self sufficient person. Hux didn't know how to rely on others, but all of that changes when the esteemed cat photographer, Ben Solo, stumbles into his life.





	First Order Fostering

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to @rudbeckia for being an awesome beta!
> 
> The abuse content present in this chapter is marked by 3 "!!!" and is a skippable scene for those who are sensitive to that content.

When Armitage Hux started his youtube channel, he anticipated producing informative videos about taking care of orphaned kittens, and have meaningful interactions with people who people who watched them.

What Hux didn’t know is that he would dedicate a disproportionate amount of his time responding to inane statements like this:

FriendshipizMaagik2001 commented on your video: How to safely syringe feed newborn kittens.

“My Cat is pregnant :O”

Hux breathed out of his nose, taking one long sip of his cold brew coffee before he typed his reply. 

“@friendshipizMaagik2001 - I’m not sure why you are sharing this news with me. My channel has always advocated for and promoted the importance of the spay and neuter of both domestic cats and community feral cats. The fact that you have not spayed your pet and have also allowed her to get pregnant is negligent of you as a cat owner. Millions of kittens are born every year and need homes and your irresponsibility contributes to a much larger problem.”

It was likely that the commenter was a tactless preteen but just the same Hux found it exasperating. It made Hux want to tear his hair out that people could watch the videos on his YouTube channel and have the whole cause for his advocacy completely escape them. The (likely) child who wrote this comment probably had equally ignorant parents, but Hux knew he could not affect change if he was passive about irresponsible behavior. 

Proofreading the comment, Hux considered extrapolating on the issue of the over breeding of cats in the United States, but was interrupted by a messaging notification on his phone. It was a text from Phasma, his friend and also the animal control marshal.

Phasma:  
Six neonates showed up in an amazon box at the shelter on E. Gude in Rockville. U have space, right? Girl here is anxious because the foster program hasn’t gotten back to them and I told them I knew someone. 

Hux thought about the request for a moment. He had just signed over his last group of fosters two days ago and he usually took more time in between to prepare mentally and sanitize his kitten room before taking in a new batch of kittens. Ultimately the call for rescue won out. He couldn’t say no when there were kittens in need. 

Hux:  
I can be there in two hours. How do they look?

Phasma:  
They’re more lively since we put them in the incubator. They said that’s fine and to ask for Rey when you get here. 

Hux replied with a single thumbs up emoji and prepared to leave. He abandoned the YouTube comment and hit send before he closed the computer. He didn’t have a lot of time to prepare his cat nursery, but he did re-sterilize his carrier and added a clean blanket and a freshly warmed heating pad. He put some feeding bottles in his dishwater on a sani-cycle, as well as some bedding he had been neglecting in the wash. He turned the roomba on in the kitten room and shut the door before heading out to go to the shelter.

The traffic was considerably light for a Tuesday afternoon in Silver Spring, Maryland. The DC Traffic had yet to congest the beltway, and hux wasted no time traversing the 270 local lane to get himself to Rockville’s Industrial Park. 

The sky was slightly overcast over the fourlane drive. It made the the park look more desolate and uninviting than it usually did. In a lot of ways, Hux preferred the sincerity of this kind of scenery. Establishments on East Gude Drive didn’t take pains to hide the dirt and grime associated with industry, unlike the built up town centers and high-end strip malls like that of the Rio or the Gaithersburg Crown. Hux didn’t appreciate frivolities that separated the well to do from the working class. 

The small shelter was rather busy that day. Only a couple of spaces were unoccupied in the parking lot when he pulled in to one at the back of the building. Hux greeted the receptionist inside, a pleasant girl with a sharp bang and high ponytail. She wore the standard khakis and shelter issued polo shirt that was required of the employees. Her name tag was covered in Pokemon stickers and had the name ‘Rose’ written in bubble lettering. She looked somewhat frazzled with the people she was speaking to at reception who, from the sounds of it, were fighting over a bulldog who was up for adoption. After explaining that no decision would be made until after the home and family interviews, both parties seemed placated. After the people left, Hux approached the counter and waited for Rose to make eye contact with him before speaking. 

“Hello, my name is Armitage Hux, I’m here to see Rey about some kittens.” 

“Oh hey, you’re the instagram guy!”

“Oh… yeah I-”

“Rey is waiting for you in the clinic. You can follow me back.”

Hux cleared his throat at the interruption but followed Rose through the black double doors nonetheless, grateful that he did not have to speak about his online presence and receive unwanted feedback.

Hux was led through a corridor past the wall of cat cubbies. This was the holding place where the shelter kept their new arrivals. Hux glanced the cats over, checking for ear tips or feral cats he recognized. Rose seemed to take notice of Hux’s meandering.

“Are you looking to foster some adult cats as well? I thought you only took in the babies.” Rose inquired.

“I do. I was just looking because people often mistake community cats for missing. Well intentioned people bring them to shelters thinking that is the right thing to do, when in reality, there’s about a 30% adoption rate for adult cats that are brought into shelters and many of that other 70% end up getting euthanized... And etcetera. You know how it is.” Hux concluded somewhat gracelessly. He tried being more mindful about going off on tangents. Rose gave him a look he didn’t know how to interpret but nodded.

“Oh yeah, absolutely. It happens all the time. Many of those cats are unsocialized, making them unadoptable in the first place. It sucks because we are an open admission shelter and are required to take in the animals that we get. It would be unlawful to release them. Their ways of life are needlessly disrupted by well meaning people imposing these modern views on cat domestication.”

Rose, of course, worked in rescue. Hux felt somewhat foolish assuming ignorance on the subject, but Hux didn’t often encounter people in the real world that were versed on the subject. 

“Yes, my thoughts exactly. I have on multiple occasions picked up feral cats that have been brought to shelters in this way and let them back out in the community where they belong. I can give you my number to have on file in case you run into this situation yourselves?”

“I believe we already have your information, but we will keep that in mind.” 

“Great, I’d appreciate that.”

They were almost out of the adult cat corridor before Rose turned to address Hux again.

“Oh and about what you said about the adoption rate of adult domestic cats. Our adoption rate is much higher since the shelter started using Facebook for adoption visibility. I just thought you’d be glad to hear that.”

Hux detected a hint of smugness that time, but decided to disregard it. 

“I am. that is excellent. Social media is the best thing to happen to animal rescue in a long time.”

He meant that. Hux had started his social media platform on Instagram as well as YouTube in order to raise awareness about the need of Animal fostering. It also served to educate people about kitten care and document the fosters he took in. It had been Phasmas idea. Phasma and he had done a lot of Trap Neuter Return work for the feral cat population of DC last year, and some of the emotional tolls of rescue were getting to him. It was around that time where Hux had lost an entire litter to illness and Hux felt he only had himself to blame. Phasma had suggested documenting his activism on social media as a way to help combat his Compassion Fatigue. Hux had a meager following in the grand scheme of things, but sometimes he was able to have meaningful discussions about rescue online. It made him feel like he was part of the solution, above all else.

They arrived in a tiled room that served as the in-house vet clinic and housing for the younger animals in the facility. A young woman with her hair tied up into 3 equally sized buns was leaning over the stainless steel worktop filling out paperwork. She was saying something to a man fiddling with a camera tripod.

Hux had to do a double take of the man, who was huge and wore a hoodie that struggled to contain his massive torso. He didn’t dress like an employee, so it’s likely he didn’t work there. His hair was dark, wavy, and was just long enough to touch his shoulders. Most of it was spilling over his face. Hux found him peculiar; what was man with a camera doing in a shelter clinic?

“Rey, Hux is here for you!” Rose announced. The two seemed to exchange a look before Rose retreated to her post back in the front lobby. Rey turned to Hux with a relieved smile and maneuvered around the stainless steel examination table to greet Hux with a handshake.

Rey had a very bright smile and a kindness about her. Hux never knew how to conduct himself around people like this; he distrusted their friendliness. 

“Hux, thanks so much for coming on such short notice.”

“It’s no trouble. How long ago were they dropped off?” Hux asked, just wanting to get down to business.

“About four hours ago. The guy who brought them in dropped them off in a box at the front desk. He left before we could ask him any questions.”

Hux couldn’t help but sneer at that. Typical people. 

“Oh wonderful. I suppose that we have no information on whether or not the mother was present.” 

Rey seemed somewhat taken back by Hux’s demeanor, and Hux reminded himself again about not projecting his displeasure on blameless shelter staff. 

“Afraid not. They’re just in here. Poor things were freezing when we got them but they seem to be perking up now.”

Rey walked over to the large incubator in the corner and Hux followed. Inside were six dinner roll sized kittens huddled up in a pile. Rey opened up the incubator for Hux’s access before excusing herself to get the examination charts and release papers for the litter. 

Hux set to work immediately. He picked up the first kitten on the top of the pile and began to examine it. He instantly felt more relaxed as he slipped into his caregiver mindset. 

It is very hard to determine the sex of a feline so young. Eventually, Hux decided the cat was male grey tabby. The umbilical cord was still attached, so he was perhaps around 2-3 days old. He was very small, and his ears were folded down. None of the kittens looked like they had ever opened their eyes. This grey kitten was very vocal, which was promising. The tabby squirmed squeaked in his hand, protesting having been woken up. 

“Yes I know, my darling, how rude of me to wake you.” Hux cooed. “Just have to check you over a little, and then you’re coming home with me.”

Hux became self conscious as he felt a pair of eyes on him. He looked up to see the man with the tripod looking back at him with a sort of amused expression. Hux cleared his throat to try to play off the fact that he was just murmuring lovingly to a kitten in public. It wasn’t good for his image, it was very important to Hux to be taken seriously. 

“I don’t suppose you know if these kittens have been fed recently?” Hux addressed the man, clearing his throat. His face felt warm and his pulse quickened under the dark haired man's scrutiny. 

Hux hadn’t gotten a good look at his face when he first arrived. Hux found him striking, handsome even in an unconventional way. His face was dotted with moles, his eyes were dark and expressive. His mouth was plush and currently upturned in a smirk. This irked Hux; he did not appreciate that this man was amused by him. 

“I do, in fact. Rey has had her hands full with the new admissions. I fed them about an hour ago.”

Hux was skeptical, because this man didn’t appear to work here. Was he a volunteer? More importantly, was he even qualified to work with neonates?

“Oh? What exactly did you use to feed them?” To Hux’s credit, he tried to keep his skepticism out of his tone. Unfortunately, Hux came off that way naturally.

This man, whoever he was, didn’t seem deterred. He approached the incubator, selecting what appeared to be the runt of the litter and handled it with practiced ease.

“I syringe fed them, all of them got a decent 3cc in them except for this girl. I would keep an eye on her. She seems a bit dehydrated.” The dark haired man indicated this by pinching the scruff of her neck, showing how the skin hung in place.

“Alright. I may need to administer subcutaneous fluids for that one. Er, thank you. What did you feed them?” Hux asked, taken off guard by this stranger’s expertise.. Hux did not often encounter other men that were involved in kitten rescue.

“I fed them the KMR formula, it’s what they keep stocked up in the shelter.” He answered easily. The man kept the small kitten covered in both of his impossibly large hands, keeping her warm, Hux thought.

“KMR is good, I use that formula often.”

Rey picked that time to return to the clinic room with the release forms and the evaluation charts for Hux. She seemed surprised to see them both conversing. 

“Here we are- Oh Ben! Are you going to take pictures of the adoptees in here?” Rey asked.

“Nah, I was going to take them to the front. The lighting in here sucks.” 

“I agree. We’ll leave you to it. The shelter closes in an hour and I have a date tonight. I’m not waiting around for you again, Ben.”  
“Yeah yeah. You said that the last two times you asked for my help.” Ben rolled his eyes dismissively. He placed a small kiss to the head of the kitten he was holding before placing her in the carrier that Hux had left on the table. Oh.

“Okay Hux, these are the forms, I need you to sign here, and here, and initial here.” She indicated the fields quickly, seeming frazzled. Rey seemed to have her hands full with multiple tasks at the moment. 

“Rey, it’s cool. I can finish up here. I know you’re needed elsewhere.” Ben offered. Hux wouldn’t mind that. He welcomed the chance to satisfy his curiosity about Ben.

“You sure? Okay, fine- but it’s cutting into your photoshoot time.” Rey stipulated before rushing out of the room. She seemed like a different, much less patient person when interacting with Ben. Perhaps they were related in some way?

“Fine, bossy.” was Ben’s reply before plucking another kitten out of the incubator. 

“Photoshoot?” Hux inquired. 

“For the kittens here that are ready for adoption. We’ve found that the better the pictures, the easier time we have adopting these little guys out.”

“That’s very true. It’s generous of you to offer your services.” Hux agreed, nestling the cat he had in his hand in the carrier. He offered the same hand to Ben.

“I’m Hux.”

“I know. I follow your YouTube channel.” Ben replied with a smile, taking Hux’s hand. 

“Oh! Awesome.” Hux still didn’t know how to react to people recognizing him from his media presence.

“I’m Ben Solo. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“Ben Solo…” the name did strike Hux as familiar before the recognition dawned on him. “Oh I think I’ve seen you on Instagram.” Hux was sure that Ben had come up in his recommended feed. He admittedly was not a very good instagram user; he did not follow many people or spend much time browsing the app.

“Oh cool, I maintain that account as part of my day job,” Ben said, averting eye contact and zipping Hux’s cat carrier closed. Hux interpreted the motion as bashfulness, but startled at the sound of the zipper. Somehow the fact that Ben had transferred all the kittens while they were talking had escaped Hux’s notice.  
“We’re all set here. If you want to finish up the paperwork I can walk out with you,” Ben offered. Hux agreed, making quick work of the forms before tucking the charts under his arm. Ben handled the carrier gingerly as they made their way out of the shelter and into the parking lot. 

“So do you do foster with the kittens as well? You seem very knowledgeable about kitten care.” Hux added, somewhat begrudgingly. It was probably the highest compliment that Hux was capable of giving. 

“I sometimes foster older cats, but I don’t really have an ideal work schedule to take care of the ones that require bottle feeding.”

“Where did you learn to syringe feed?”

“From your video. Your instructional content is really informative.” Ben replied matter-of-factly. Hux’s face felt warm despite the crisp November air.

“Thank you… That’s very encouraging to hear.”

“It’s true. I think what you’re doing is really important.” Ben had to bend down to nestle the carrier in the passenger seat of Hux’s car, he even went so far as to buckle in the carrier with the seat belt which Hux appreciated. 

“Half the time I don’t really feel like I know what I’m doing with the production aspect, and I’m complete shite with video editing. I feel like my content suffers for it.” Hux kicked himself internally for admitting his insecurities about his work to this stranger. Still Ben seemed understanding.

“If you want help with that, I know my way around video production and editing software. I can show you a couple of things if you’d like?” Ben ran his hand through his hair and Hux was momentarily distracted by the action. Ben had great hair. “Maybe we could talk about this over dinner?”

“Yes. I mean sure, I’d like that.” Hux replied trying to rein in his enthusiasm. 

Ben seemed to be doing the same thing. He chuckled nervously as they traded phones to exchange numbers.

“See you.” Ben said as Hux climbed into the driver's seat of his Elantra sport. Ben waved at him before departing back into the shelter. 

Hux was grinning madly as he set off for home. He had to tell Phasma about this as soon as possible.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I can’t say I’m surprised that you got hit on at an animal shelter.” Phasma teased him over facetime. She was currently styling her hair with a curling wand. Hux watched longsufferingly while handling a squirmy kitten and wrapping her in a kitchen towel. 

“I was not hit on. We are going to have a very serious discussion about professional things.” Hux groused. He sat at his kitchen table, going about the tedious task of weighing each kitten and recording the data in his log. It was a boring job, but it was necessary to closely monitor young kittens like this. It helped to have company most of the time but not when said company was being insufferable. 

“He got your number. He said he would show you some things. Don’t be thick, Armitage. ”

“I’m not being thick. He probably didn’t mean it like that. I don’t even know for sure if he likes men.”

“Ben definitely likes men, he and Poe Dameron used to date.”

“The service dog trainer, Poe Dameron?” Hux and him crossed paths before. Poe was the kind of person who commanded a room and shook hands with everyone he met. Hux didn’t care for him because Poe kept calling him “Hugs” whenever they saw each other.

“The very same. Man let me tell you about the drama that went down there.”

“Please don’t,” Hux said, indignant. “I don’t get what the big deal is. He seems perfectly nice, and he is good with the kittens.”

“He’s always come off as moody and unapproachable to me. One of those suffering artist types with a serious attitude problem.”

“You’ve expressed much the same sentiment about me.”

“I have never said you were an artist type, but you’re right. It is a match made in heaven.”

“You’re insufferable.” 

“You love it.”

Hux sighed reminding himself Phasma was his truest and ever present friend. She was the only person he kept in contact with after undergrad. He appreciated her honest, no-bullshit way of life. Therefore, he should do well to not be a complete asshole and say something actually hurtful.

“Enough about me. Tell me about this date you’re going on. What is Rey like?” Hux asked, attempting to change the subject. 

“I believe you made her acquaintance already. What did you think?”

“I don’t feel like I got to know her well enough to form an opinion. Not sure I see a connection though.” 

“How so?” 

“Isn’t she a little… bubbly for your taste?”

“She’s like sunshine. I could use a bit more of that in my life, don’t you think?”

Hux didn’t know why she was asking. Phasma has never cared for Hux’s opinion on anything.

“If you say so.” 

Hux heard a chime go off on Phasma’s end. She glanced at her Ipad.

“That’s my queue, Armitage. Gotta go. Don’t stay up too late, and please eat something for once.”

“Yes, mother.”

“Hush you.” Phasma chided before ending the call. Hux weighed and recorded the last kitten before returning her to the carrier with her brothers and sisters. 

Two boys and four girls, they were all a mix of different coloring. The boys were both tabbies, one light grey, and one brown. Three of the girls were black, one was all black, one had a white patches on her paws and chest, and the other was a mostly black tortie. The last girl, the littlest one, was a grey short hair. 

Hux placed a heating pad in the microwave to warm before taking himself and the carrier to the comfortable armchair where he liked to feed the kittens. He had a feeder bottle already prepared and he had already stimulated the kittens to go to the bathroom prior to weighing them. 

He was just attaching a miracle nipple to the syringe when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket.

A pang of excitement forced Hux to smile when he saw that the push notification was from Ben.

A message bubble appeared underneath the perfunctory greetings that were exchanged in the parking lot.

Ben Solo:

So, have you named those kittens yet? 

Hux:

No not yet, I like to think of a theme I like before deciding on their names.

Ben Solo:

If you’re not married to any particular ideas, might I suggest names of planets? The littlest girl could be named Pluto :)

He took a peek at the runt sleeping soundly up against her sister. Hux found he quite liked the name for her. 

Hux:

Hmm. I suppose that will work for now. What about this one?

Hux selected the fussiest newborn from the pile, the brown tabby who was currently squeaking loudly for his supper. A blanket was wrapped snugly around the kitten, calming it instantly. He snapped a picture after the little tabby stopped squirming and sent the photo to Ben.

Ben Solo:

Look at that little purrito! That one should be Jupiter, he is the biggest.

Hux snorted at the text. He slowly syringe fed Jupiter without much trouble.

“Good job, Jupiter. You’re such a good eater. You’ll have no problem growing big and strong.”

Jupiter stopped suckling after consuming a whopping 4cc of food. A very good meal for a kitten this size.

“There’s my good boy.” He congratulated him, scratching his back and placing a kiss to his head. Using an organic scentless wipe he cleaned Jupiter’s mouth of stray formula as well as a little bit of goo from his eye. Hux hoped that Jupiter was not showing the early signs of an eye infection.

Before selecting a new kitten, Hux replied to Kylo’s text. 

Hux: 

I’m surprised that you can remember all of them. 

“Alright, who is next?” 

He picked the largest female with white mittens. Hux liked to get the largest ones out of the way because they were the most demanding for their meals. It came as no surprise to him that she took to formula easily. 

“Look how full you are, that was delicious, huh?” He asked in a gentle voice. In the comfort of his own home Hux was able to speak freely, so he was hardly aware of how his voice raised in pitch and tone softened when speaking to the newborns. 

It was a natural response, and in truth there were actual developmental benefits to speaking to growing kittens. It helped them with socialization, and it was calming for them. It was not meant to be sentimental in any way.

Hux hated slipping into this state of mind when he was in public. It happened on occasion because kittens have the tendency to turn Hux’s brain to mush. Hux knew how unbecoming it was for a grown man to baby talk small animals. Being an educator and an advocate, it was very important that Hux was taken seriously by others, rather than being perceived as foolish. 

He snapped a picture of the small black kitten after she finished eating and sent that photo to Ben as well. The kitten looked especially sweet with her tiny milk mustache. 

Hux’s phone chimed once again as he fed the grey tabby. This kitten was having a little bit of trouble getting a hang of the suckling, so the feeding was time consuming. With kittens this young, they don’t always immediately take to syringe feeding, but it was important to not rush the process. Kittens as small as these could easily aspirate, causing a myriad of upper respiratory problems and pneumonia.

Ben Solo:

Of course I remember. I spent all morning with them; it was love at first sight.

And then another-

Also that’s Saturn. She has a little white ring on her tail. The cutest.

Hux:

All morning? Ben Solo, have you already named this litter?

Ben Solo: 

...Maybe. Does that mean you aren’t going to send me more pictures of them?

Hux sighed. He couldn't really fault Ben for falling for the kittens. Truthfully Hux was not great at coming up with good names. Hux was more of a technical person than a creative one. He usually defaulted to naming cats based on their physical characteristics, names like spot or stripe. Hux didn’t particularly care as long as he could tell them apart. 

In a moment of indulgence, Hux scooped up the three unnamed kittens and snuggled them close to his face for a selfie. They were so small that that he didn't have any problem cradling them with one hand. He made sure the angle and lighting were both optimal before snapping a picture. 

It wasn’t just for Ben, Hux told himself as he applied a filter with instagram to adjust the lighting. It would eventually go up on his page once he came up with a good introduction for the kittens. For now he just sent the selfie to Ben while he still had the nerve to do so. 

The resulting reaction of three (3) heart eyes emojis made Hux’s face feel hot. He covered his mouth with his hand, hiding the smile that was widening beneath it. It didn’t help smother the thrill that Hux felt from Ben’s flirting. 

Ben Solo:

I see 4 cute kittens in this photo <3

Hux was somewhat inept when it came to being pleasant to people. Hux had at first wanted to tell Ben to shut up. He thought better of it, toying with words that sounded more playful. 

Hux:

Hush. Tell me what you named the rest of the kittens. 

He was on his last feeding, Pluto’s, before receiving a reply from Ben. Her feeding was distressingly slow, she seemed to have difficulty breathing through her nose which inhibited her ability to suckle. After getting what was just shy of 1.5 cc in her, he injected her neck with subcutaneous fluids. That should at least improve her hydration issue for now. He nestled her in with her brother and sisters before checking his phone. 

Ben Solo:

Sorry, it’s real busy here tonight. 

From right to left: Mercury, Neptune, and Terra. That is a really awesome sleeve, by the way!

The sleeve that Ben was referring to were the tattoos that decorated the length of Hux’s arm. Hux had started decorating himself at 18, and his tattoos were so much a part of him that most of the time he forgot they were there. 

Hux found it puzzling that Ben was busy at 7 pm, it seemed an odd time to do cat photography, when there was no natural light available. Hux was hardly an expert so what did he know? 

Hux:

Thank you. Also, Terra doesn’t work. That isn’t a planet. 

Ben Solo:

Terra is the world for earth in like, 3 different Latin based languages. Terra is also 100x prettier than Earth. 

Hux:

Venus is an option.

Hux was not actually fond of the name. He just wanted to be contrary. 

Ben Solo:

That name rhymes with too many unfortunate things. And before you ask, you’re not going to sell Uranus to anyone.

Hux:

Fair enough. Terra is acceptable, I suppose. Just don’t make a habit of naming my cats in the future.

Ben Solo:

;) I figured you’d see it my way. BTW that Emerald Castle Tattoo on your arm is sick. Where did you get it?

They discussed tattoos for a while; Hux explained the significance behind some and was thankful that he was not asked about more personal ones. Ben had some, apparently, but he stipulated that Hux would just have to see them in person if he wanted to look. He punctuated that statement with another winky face. Hux wasn’t sure which characteristic about Ben was more outrageous: his overly flirtatious personality or his egregious use of emoji. 

Ben Solo: 

So I was hoping if you’re free tomorrow night that perhaps we can grab some dinner and talk more? My break is almost over.

Hux: 

I was under the impression that you were self employed. Do you work for lifetouch or something? I can’t really leave the kittens alone when they’re this young. Also, I’m vegan so I’m kinda particular about where I eat.

Hux bit his lip as he hit send. His veganism was a deal breaker for a lot of people, and while Hux was unapologetic about who he was, he would be disappointed if Ben lost interest.

Ben Solo:

No way! Same :D I was thinking we could go to Founding Farmers. That work for you? Also I was hoping you would bring the kittens. ;) I miss them. 

To answer your question, I am a self employed photographer. I tend bars most nights as a second job. There isn’t a lot of money in the nonprofit, as I’m sure you know. 

Hux did know intimately about the lack of livable earning in rescue, and having to supplement income by working other jobs. Hux hated IT, but there was no money in his real work, his rescue work. 

Hux always felt that he would be much happier working in veterinary. That was never in the cards for a disowned runaway so Hux has had no choice to work with what he had. 

An act of mindfulness steered Hux to less unpleasant train of thought. He instead focused his attention responding to Ben. 

Hux:

Alright. I think i can get together around seven. That okay? 

Ben Solo:

Sounds like a date ;) looking forward to it. 

Hux appreciated that Ben was not being transparent about what this was, he was excited by it. He couldn’t help but use this opportunity to tease Ben about the earlier professional excuse to ask him out on a date. 

Hux: 

So this isn’t to be a business meeting, then?

Ben Solo:

Some business for sure, but mostly pleasure, if you’re interested of course.

Hux:

Oh I’m interested. Just not used to being asked out forwardly. You’re confident

Ben Solo:

What you mean, like getting asked out by other guys? Your social media leaves very little ambiguity about that. Didn’t you do an adoption event at Pride recently?

Hux was in fact very open about his sexuality on his social media. He hadn’t really thought much of it at the time, but Phasma on more than one occasion has referred to him as “a queer icon of kitten rescue”.

Hux:

Fair point. I was there for my last litter of kittens, yes. Speaking of social media, might I have your instagram handle so I can see your work?

Ben:

BenTheCatPhotograher ;)

In another moment of indulgence, Hux responded with a single heart emoji. It was already 9pm and Hux still had a lot to do before entertaining the idea of sleep.

He went and got a large clear tupperware container that he used for newborns. He disinfected it with cleaner before using a special UV light to ensure it was sterilized. The hand-held light was long, fragile and cumbersome, and he had to keep it in a designated case to keep from getting damaged. It was a device that was usually used for human patients with compromised immune systems, therefore Hux found it very useful for his vulnerable rescues.

He collected the clean bedding that he had ready in the dryer. The bedding consisted mostly of baby blankets that he had purchased at Ross. He also pulled out the Snuggle Kitty™ that he had washed with the bedding. The aptly named stuffed animal was a comfort device that contained a battery operated heartbeat inside it, which was therapeutic for orphans because the sound and faux fur reminded them of mom. Hux often observed kittens piling on top of it and even trying to nurse from it.

Before transferring the kittens to their new home, Hux set up his recording equipment around the kitchen table. It wasn’t an elaborate setup, just a ring light and a dslr. Perhaps Ben would have some ideas on how to make his operation more professional, but for now he would make do.

After ensuring the set up was complete he hit record on the camera. He lifted up the only awake kitten in his carrier and held him up so he was visible in the viewfinder.

“Say hello to the internet, Terra.” He encouraged as the kitten let out a tiny mewl. He kissed the top of her head before continuing. He could cut that out later.

“I received a call today from a local Maryland shelter in the DMV area. A group of five neonates, whom I estimate to be not much older than three days old were dropped off earlier this morning. A friend of mine who serves as the animal control marshal contacted me about this litter so I was glad to take them in. It’s been especially chilly this past week so it’s rather concerning that they were outside. No information was available on whether or not the mother could be located.”

Hux went through a thorough introduction about what he knew so far about the new litter, introducing each one as he intended to document their updates as they grew up. 

He made sure they were all nestled into their new home, recording some sequences of them snuggling on top of the comfort device. After he finished up the recording he was able to spend the rest of the night tending to himself. He heated up a rice and black bean burrito from Trader Joe’s while he checked his work email. He collapsed in bed after the most pressing of emails were followed up with and his meager meal was consumed. 

!!!

His sleep was plagued with unpleasant dreams about his father. He dreamt that he was in high school again, even more scrawny than when he was as an adult, with hair that reached just past his shoulders. He was facing off with his father in the foyer. His belongings had been gathered in a trash bag and had been deposited on the front lawn; his own doing. Hux could feel his own face twisted in a snarl as he stared menacingly as his equally red faced father. 

“I ask you for one thing. One FUCKING thing in my entire life.”

“I warned you what would happen, boy.”

“You are a fucking monster!”

“If you mother could see what a disrespectful shit you’ve become she would be turning in her grave.”

“If mother could see you she would weep for your black and empty heart. They were defenseless, and utterly vulnerable and you destroyed them! You’re a despicable, heartless, piece of shit.”

Despite this being a dream and an unchangeable memory, Hux could still feel the sting on the slap across of his face. 

Armitage said nothing, instead he turned grabbed the knob of the front door. Behind him he heard his father shout.

“If you set one foot out of that door, boy, don’t expect to be allowed back. I am your father and you will respect me!”

“I don't have a father.” Was all was said before the door was slammed in his face and he was plunged into darkness.

Next came images that sickened him to recall; the empty basket in his closet. The bound and weighed sack in the stream behind his father's home. He couldn’t have… His father was cruel but he wouldn’t do this...

!!!

Hux woke with a start and in a cold sweat. 3 am, his alarm alerting him to the orphans’ next feeding. He felt grateful for the interruption.

The feedings went about the same this time except for little Pluto, who was wheezing badly and could only take 0.5 cc of food. His anxiety for her health was only worsened by the lingering dream, and it was sort of a state of desperation that he texted his most trusted contact, Dr. Rae Sloane.

Hux:

I apologize for texting you this late. I have neonate who is in distress and isn’t eating. I think she might have an upper respiratory infection. Is it possible to get the litter checked out sometime tomorrow? Again sorry for the short notice. 

After the kittens were sleeping soundly, Hux attempted to crawl back into bed and reclaim some sleep. Sometime around five in the morning he abandoned the attempt and instead got up to clean and sterilize everything in his home. 

Hux was on his second pot of coffee and pulling the extra bedding out of the dryer when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket just shy of 5 am.

Rae Sloane:

You don’t need to apologise for contacting me, Armitage. Can you be here by 6:45? I can fit them in before seeing my scheduled appointments.

Hux replied with an affirmative before packing a backpack with things he would need while he was out: shopping totes to pick up groceries, unscented baby wipes, washcloths, a blender bottle with dry formula, and his syringe feeding supplies. He warmed a heating pad in the microwave while he cleaned and changed the bedding in his carrier. 

There wasn’t enough time for a shower, but a change of clothes and bare essentials morning ritual would have to suffice until he got back home. 

He made quick work of brushing his teeth in the small bathroom that adjoined the master bedroom. He scratched at his chin, surveying the stubble that was coming in. He really needed to shave, but there was nothing for it at the moment.

With his shirt off he could see that his oldest tattoo on his sternum, a victorian style bird cage, was in need of touching up. He hadn’t done his research when getting it all of those years ago and the lineart was patching in places. Perhaps when his holiday bonus came in, Hux would be able to afford to do that.

Getting dressed in a thermal T, jeans, and a lined hoodie, Hux headed out with the kittens and his supplies.

The veterinary office was all the was all the way out in Alexandria, Virginia and Hux needed to leave early to account for the rush hour traffic on the beltway. Aside from Dr. Sloane’s experience with caring for newborn animals, Hux had personal reasons for going to her practice exclusively for veterinary needs; she was the closest thing Hux had to a family member these days. 

Rae Sloane was a neighbor and acquaintance of the family when Hux was growing up. Hux knew her well because he had worked for her during his summer vacations since the age of eight, when he and his father had moved to America. They had originally come stateside because of job relocation with his father’s company. 

Brendol Hux was never what anyone would call a sentimental man. After the death of his birth mother Aurnia, he was more than inclined to leave England behind. Too many memories, he would say. Armitage was the only memory of Aurnia that Brendol couldn’t escape. Hux always figured that Brendol’s inability to process the loss of Hux’s mother is where his father’s resentment for him began. 

Hux had taken after his mother in physicality. He adopted her bright red hair and her lithe build. Brendol always commented that it was unbecoming of a young man; being as thin as a slip of paper and just as useless. He would tease him about being feminine, but this surprisingly lost a lot of weight when it turned out that Armitage was gay. Brendol refused to acknowledge it. 

Hux had been 16 when he left home, shortly after he rescued a litter of orphaned kittens from a stray that Hux used to leave tuna out for. She had been hit by a car, leaving behind 3 kittens that lived behind the backyard tool shed. Armitage saw no other option but to bring them inside for the night. He had intended to bring them to bring them to Dr. Sloane’s when he got home from school. He knew this to be his only option because Brendol forbade Hux from bringing animals into the house.

Hux had come home from school that day after briefing Dr. Sloane about his predicament with the kittens. What happened after, Hux didn’t like to remember. 

Without any money or clue how to proceed with his newfound homelessness, he had knocked on the door of Doctor Rae Sloane. He had asked just to be put up for the night and maybe an odd job to earn some money. She immediately took him in and helped him report Brendol for child abuse and animal cruelty. The misdemeanor was ultimately dropped, but Armitage was able to get free of him. 

He lived with Rae until the age of 18. He was able to volunteer with her as a vet tech at her clinic until he was old enough to pursue a career.She helped him with the process of earning his GED and helped him find a job that paid him a living wage. She even loaned him money to earn his COMPTIA certifications. 

They still spent major holidays together, like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Rae did not have much family to speak of either so Hux supposed they were two of a kind.

The traffic in Virginia was notoriously horrific, but Hux pulled into the Old Town Veterinary Clinic with 10 minutes to spare. The parking lot was empty in the early morning light. The clinic itself was a smaller operation, a single story building just outside of the historical district of Alexandria. The building still had a small but well maintained parking lot which was hard to come by in this part of town. 

The front lobby door was still locked as they were not yet open for business, but someone was currently manning reception and took notice when he knocked. 

Hux recognized the Vet Tech that came to the door. Dolpheld Mitaka, a somewhat squirrely but undeniably pleasant man came to answer the door and let him into the clinic.

“Armitage! Dr. Sloane said to be expecting you. How have you been?” 

“I’m well Dolpheld, thank you. How are you doing?”

“Living the dream.” Dolpheld answered with a sigh. Hux was enough versed in newage vernacular to know that Living the dream was code for ‘barely hanging on’.

“That bad huh? Still at odds with your sister?”

“We aren’t really speaking right now. She’s still deadnaming me and is being generally disrespectful.”

The sister Dolpheld referred to was his fraternal twin. The two had not gotten along since Dolpheld had begun transitioning a year ago.

“I’m sorry to hear that. That’s really too bad.” Hux was really bad at expressing appropriate sympathies. Polite conversation really did not come naturally to him.

“It is what is, you know?” Mitaka dismissed. “What have you got there? A new litter?”

Hux was thankful for the change in subject.

“Yes indeed.” Hux confirmed, unzipping the top of the carrier to allow Dolpheld to peek inside.

“Wow! Very young ones this time. They look so sweet.”

“They really are. Is Rae here?”

“She is! Let me go tell her you’re here.”

Hux watched Mitaka scamper to the back and he used the time to check on how the kittens fared on the ride here. 

They were all sleeping soundly except for the ever excitable Jupiter and Mercury, who were currently squirming around on the heating pad. He was probably ready to feed again. Hux would need to tend to that after the litter was finished with their check up.

Mitaka emerged again with Dr. Sloane trailing close behind. She looked as regal as ever in her stark white physician’s coat and scrubs. Her hair was dark and curly with a single streak of white that grew from her temple. She wore her hair smartly in a tight bun, she didn’t smile but her eyes were bright as she approached Hux.

“Good morning Armitage, it’s good to see you.” She greeted Hux, pulling him into a hug. She had graceful but practical ways of expressing warmth. It always put him at ease. 

“Hi Rae.” He greeted back. He prefered to address her by her title but she insisted on forgoing formalities when it was just between them. If Hux was being honest with himself it made him feel special because he respected her a great deal. 

“You look dreadfully tired. Dolpheld, please get Armitage a cup of coffee.” 

“Right away.” Mitaka replied, rushing into the back once more. Coffee immediately sounded very appealing to Hux. He’d forgotten his tumbler at home.

“Thanks.” He said to Rae. She gave him a stern look.

“Coffee is not a replacement for sleep or food. We discussed this. Come to the back with me so we can get started.”

Hux followed Rae into Exam room one in the back. The building was old but still smelled sterile like a human doctor’s office. It attested to what a tight ship Dr. Sloane ran. He fished out his sickest kitten, Pluto, as Rae donned some latex free gloves.

“Is this the one you contacted me about?”

“Yes, you can hear her breathing. Her nose is also crusting very badly but I’ve been tending to it the best that I can.”

“Let’s see.” She said taking the kitten in her gloved hands. She performed a thorough investigation of her, checking her lungs as well as her digestive tract. She confirmed Hux’s suspicions of an upper respiratory infection.

“I’m going to prescribe an antibiotic as well as recommend tube feeding this one until she has improved enough to bottle feed.”

She gave Hux a refresher course on tube feeding by demonstrating the correct procedure with Pluto. Hux was relieved to see Pluto receive the first full meal in what was probably days.

The checkup for the rest of the litter proceeded smoothly, as all of the other kittens were much healthier than Pluto. It gave Rae and Hux time to catch up.

“Bad dreams keeping you up again Armitage?” Rae asked. Hux was startled by her perceptiveness.

“Is it that obvious? It’s fine. I’m dealing with it.”

“You would be less stress if you did more things to care for yourself. You cannot dedicate your whole life to work and rescue. You’ll waste your young years carrying on like that. You need to find a balance.”

She was interrupted from her gentle reprimand by Dolpheld who brought him a small cup of black coffee. Hux thanked him before he showed himself out again.

“He’s smitten with you, you know? Always asking about you. I tell him you don’t keep in touch with me enough to know what is going on with your life. You should chat him up.”

Hux made a face as he sipped at the dark liquid.

“You cannot be serious. I will not. He’s a child, Rae.”

“He’s twenty one. Only six years your junior.”

“I’d be like a grandfather to him.” Hux groaned.

“What does that make me? Older than Christ?”

“I didn’t mean it that way.”

She hmphed as she concluded Terra’s exam and moved on to Jupiter. She observed the beginnings of an eye infection with him and prescribed him an topical treatment.

“So are you seeing anyone right now?” She probed him further, Hux shrugged.

“I’m sort of talking to someone right now. We are going out tonight.”

“What is he like?” 

Hux appreciated that he didn’t have to keep secrets with Rae about his proclivities. As severe as she could be, she was always accepting of him.

“It’s really too soon to say. He seems nice. He is a photographer and he’s also involved in kitten rescue.”

“Sounds like a match made in heaven. Will I be invited to the wedding?” 

“I’m not going to dignify that with a response.” 

“And I am not going to dignify your sass.” She said finishing up with the last kitten. She identified a mild respiratory infection in Mercury as well and prescribed her the same antibiotic regimens that he was giving Pluto.

“I’d like you to keep in touch with me about any new developments with them, also with you. How about we schedule a follow up a few weeks from now?”

“Why so curious about my lovelife all of the sudden?” Hux asked. Rae wasn’t usually this persistent.

“I just want you to be happy, Armitage.”

“I am happy.”

“You’re not happy. You’re busy.”

Hux thought about arguing about there being very little difference between the two, but ultimately he knew that would be useless. He followed Rae out into the front lobby. They had finished up just before start of day so Rae needed to go back and prepare for her first appointment. She gave Hux a parting hug before retreating to the back. Hux heard her address Mitaka on her way, asking him to whip up a batch of kitten formula for Hux to use before he left. 

That was Hux’s cue to take a seat on one of the sofas in the front lobby to prepare the rest of the kittens for their feeding. First order of business was helping the kittens relieve themselves. He retrieved a packet of tissues from his bag and pulled a waste basket close to him. Stimulating kittens to pee was one of the less glamorous jobs of rescue but one of the most necessary ones because the kittens couldn’t do it themselves. If Hux was being honest with himself, the efforts never felt like enough, he ever felt like he was making enough of a difference.

He wanted to do what Rae did, be he knew it would never be in the cards for him. 

Hux made short work of relieving the kittens before Mitaka returned with two syringes full of kitten formula. 

“Would you like some help?” Mitaka asked handing a syringe to Hux.

“I’d appreciate that. Have a seat.” Hux scooted over on the sofa to accomodate Dolpheld. Dolpheld himself selected a cat from the carrier, Saturn, and used the baby towel that he had dropped on his shoulder to wrap him in a purrito. He sat next to hux and began feeding Saturn with practiced ease.

“Did I tell you that I got into the veterinary program at Cornell? I’m trying to get into an apprenticeship to help cut down on the costs for going there too.”

Hux’s nose twitched as he pushed down the feeling of resentment bubbling inside of him. It was not Mitaka’s fault that he would never have the opportunity to study veterinary medicine.

“Well done Dolpheld. That is really quite an opportunity.” He congratulated in the most positive tone he could muster.

“Thanks! Yeah I'm really excited.”

They sat in what Hux interpreted to be an awkward silence while they both tended to the kittens. Perhaps it occured to Dolpheld that it was tactless to brag about an opportunity that had always been Hux’s dream. 

Hux didn't want him to feel bad. He deserved to be excited. It was just that Hux found the prospect of listening to Dolpheld go on about Cornell unbearable. Hux needed a prompt subject change. 

“I like your new haircut, Dolpheld. It’s quite fetching.” Hux said, trying to appeal to Mitaka’s vanity. 

“Really?” Dolpheld asked, touching the buzzed sides in a bashful gesture. He had been wearing his hair short since he began his transitioning a year ago but only recently started sporting an undercut with fringe. It was never a look Hux could pull off with due to his natural ginger coloring, but he did appreciate the style on other people.

It was probably poor taste to use Dolpheld’s crush on him to his advantage, but Hux figured there wasn’t harm in paying a compliment.

The subject stayed mostly on style icons and activism to Hux’s relief. Dolpheld really was a sweet kid. He deserved to be with someone his age, whom also had the general inclination to be nice to people. Not Hux, who was prematurely old and only pretended to be pleasant when the situation called for it. 

The clinic was open for business by the time all 5 kittens were fed and sleeping soundly in their carrier. He bid Mitaka farewell before collecting his things and heading out to his car. The air had not warmed significantly so he idled in the parking lot for a moment to allow the engine to warm. He plugged his phone into the onboard usb port and noticed two push notifications when his lock screen lit up. 

The notifications were from instagram and were alerting Hux that one of the accounts he followed had posted new content. That account was benthecatphotographer. 

Hux unlocked his phone and was greeted by three expertly choreographed photographs of shelter kittens from the day before. Hux couldn’t help but be impressed about how well Ben had managed to capture each animal, using playful compositions in order to effectively melt the heart of anyone who held affection for the species. 

Hux made sure to hit the like button before putting his phone away and pulling out of the parking lot. 

He cursed when he saw the ‘check engine’ light on his dash turn on.

**Author's Note:**

> This work is heavily inspired by the work of Hannah Shaw and Andrew Marttilla. To learn more about their cause, please visit kittenlady.org.


End file.
